WASHINGTON (Interstat) — George Mason used a dominant defensive performance to defeat George Washington 59-46 in an Atlantic 10 women’s basketball game Sunday at the Charles E. Smith Center. The Patriots held the Revolutionaries to just six first-quarter points, building a lead that proved insurmountable. George Mason forced 23 turnovers, converting them into 21 points, while George Washington managed just two points off seven Patriots giveaways. Zahirah Walton led all scorers with 21 points for George Mason, which improved to 10-6. Sara Lewis posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds for George Washington, which fell to 9-9. The Revolutionaries shot just 2 for 11 from three-point range in the loss before an announced crowd of 612.

WASHINGTON (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle defined more by forced errors than offensive artistry, the George Mason Patriots grinded out a 59-46 victory over the George Washington Revolutionaries in an Atlantic 10 women’s basketball contest Sunday at the Charles E. Smith Center. The Patriots, improving to 10-6 overall, never trailed, using a stifling defensive effort to build a commanding early lead that the Revolutionaries could never seriously threaten. George Washington, which fell to 9-9, was undone by 23 turnovers, which George Mason converted into 21 points. The Revolutionaries managed just two points off the Patriots’ seven giveaways. The tone was set decisively in the opening quarter. George Mason’s defense was impenetrable, holding the hosts to just two field goals and forcing eight turnovers in the first 10 minutes. While the Patriots were not shooting efficiently themselves, their relentless pressure created extra opportunities. They built a 16-6 lead by the end of the period, an advantage that proved insurmountable on a day when both teams struggled to score consistently. George Washington found a brief rhythm in the third quarter, outscoring George Mason 17-13 behind eight points from Tanah Becker of Winnipeg, Canada, and five from Colleen Phiri of Haverhill, Massachusetts. A driving layup by Becker with 58 seconds left in the period cut the deficit to 36-38, marking the closest the Revolutionaries had been since the opening minutes. That fleeting momentum was extinguished almost immediately. On the ensuing possession, George Mason’s Zahirah Walton found Mary Amoateng for a clutch 3-pointer with 28 seconds remaining in the quarter, pushing the lead back to nine points and halting the George Washington surge. The Patriots then opened the fourth quarter with a 7-0 run to re-establish a double-digit cushion and effectively seal the game. Walton, a guard from Seattle, led all scorers with 21 points for George Mason, adding three rebounds. Kennedy Harris of Hampton, Virginia, contributed 14 points, while Amoateng of Baltimore provided a critical spark off the bench with 12 points. The Patriots dominated the glass with a 16-7 edge in offensive rebounds, leading to 18 second-chance points, and tallied 10 steals as a team. For George Washington, Sara Lewis of Atlanta recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, but also committed seven of her team’s turnovers. Phiri finished with 10 points and three rebounds. The Revolutionaries shot a respectable 44.4% from the field but were severely limited by their giveaways and a lack of perimeter game, making just 2 of 11 from 3-point range. The Patriots’ defense was the story, holding George Washington to an offensive rating of 78.4 points per 100 possessions. George Mason’s own offensive execution was uneven, shooting 32.8% from the field, but their work on the defensive end and on the offensive boards provided more than enough chances to secure the road win before an announced crowd of 612. George Mason looks to continue its momentum when it hosts Loyola Chicago on Wednesday. George Washington will aim to regroup on the road at Duquesne, also on Wednesday.

Preview: George Mason Patriots at George Washington Revolutionaries WASHINGTON (Interstat) — A pair of local Atlantic 10 rivals seeking momentum will meet Sunday when the George Mason Patriots visit the George Washington Revolutionaries in women’s basketball. The Patriots (9-6) enter on a three-game winning streak, including a 62-47 conference victory over La Salle on Wednesday. Guard Kennedy Harris has been instrumental, averaging 17.5 points per game during the streak. She scored 18 points with five assists in the win over the Explorers. George Washington (9-8) looks to halt a three-game skid, most recently a 79-70 home loss to Rhode Island. The Revolutionaries have struggled in close games, with two of those losses by a combined three points. The matchup at the Charles E. Smith Center features two of the conference’s key guards. Harris is the catalyst for George Mason’s offense. For the Revolutionaries, Sara Lewis provides a scoring punch, coming off a 16-point performance against Rhode Island. The Patriots have found success with balanced contributions; in their last win, Mary Amoateng and Zahirah Walton joined Harris in double figures. George Washington will rely on Lewis and Jaeda Wilson, who added 11 points in the last outing. Historically, this rivalry adds a local edge to the Atlantic 10 schedule. Both teams sit in the middle of the conference standings early in the new year, making this a contest for valuable positioning. George Mason’s recent form shows a team peaking defensively, holding its last three opponents under 60 points. George Washington’s challenge will be reigniting its offense after scoring 70 or fewer points in each game of its losing streak. Tip-off is set for Sunday afternoon in the nation’s capital.